Page 89 of Taming Liberty

My arms flail as I instinctively try to regain my balance, and with headlights blinding me, I shriek. Brakes squeal loud enough that the sound hurts my ears, and I hold my arm up in front of my face as if that’ll protect me.

The headlights blinding me dim as the car swerves to avoid me.

I snap my head to my right to see Jasper’s eyes widening at the SUV barreling toward him. He lifts up his hands just as the front bumper plows into his chest, and he’s dragged underneath the carriage.

The SUV continues over Jasper’s body until it crashes into a tree.

All at once, the world is silent except for the sound of steam coming from the vehicle’s engine.

I can’t do anything but stare, wide-eyed, as the man jumps out of the driver’s seat and runs to inspect Jasper. He hunches over the mangled body but doesn’t bother checking for a pulse.

His head raises to look at me. “Are you Liberty?”

My mind can’t form words, so I just nod.

He stands straight and walks over to me. “My name is Peter Shaw. I’m the pilot who’s supposed to take you home.” He looks down at my chest, and I remember the blood that seeped through my wound onto my shirt. I can’t even imagine what I look like. “Do I need to call an ambulance?”

I shake my head.

“What about Mr. Ramos?”

Again, I shake my head.

“Are you sure? Miss, you look like you may need a hospital.”

“No.” I shake my head profusely, clasping my hands to stop the shaking. “Please, just take me the fuck away from here.”

He nods slowly, then hitches a thumb behind him. “Is that Jasper Bancroft?”

My whole body shakes at the name.

He knows him. Angel said this guy’s from the island, so it makes sense, but still, anyone who knows Jasper isn’t anyone I want to be around at the moment.

Peter looks over his shoulder at Jasper’s body as if he’s trying to verify for himself. They couldn’t be good friends if he can’t even make a positive ID, mangled body or not. He also doesn’t look especially heartbroken over killing the psychopath…

“He was sent to kill me,” I finally say.

He pauses like he’s considering something. “I’m not surprised.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “It looks like you put up a fight… Good for you.”

Good for you.

He isn’t the least bit bothered by this man’s death, even knowing he’s an island resident. Angel said Peter loathes the island, so he isn’t worried about Peter telling anyone where he’s taking me. Does hewantto rescue women?

Who is this guy?

The man, Peter, reaches into his pocket to pull out a cell phone. “Let me make a few calls to clean this up, then we’ll go.”

I nod and watch him walk away, a hand pressed over one ear as he makes a call. I stare at him, unblinking, trying to come out of the shock.

I’m alive.

I’malive.

How the fuck did that happen?

I move my gaze to Jasper's body and feel the strangest lack of emotion. In this moment, I understand what stone-cold killers feel. Nothing.

One monster down. One to go.

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